Politics

South Korea’s Yoon apologises over deaths

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol issued an apology to the nation over a deadly pre-Halloween crowd crush, with members of his government facing criticism over management of the incident that killed at least 156 people. “I am sorry and apologetic to the bereaved families, who are facing tragedy that cannot be expressed in words, and to the people who ...

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Imran Khan to resume early elections push after being shot

Pakistan’s former premier Imran Khan will call on his supporters to resume a march to Islamabad and continue pushing for early elections after being released from a hospital for treatment of a leg wound sustained in a shooting at a public rally. Khan will address his supporters virtually on Wednesday, and their march will restart from the spot where he ...

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Anwar Ibrahim confident of simple majority in Malaysia polls

Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said his Pakatan Harapan’s alliance is confident of securing a simple majority even in the face of a multi-cornered fight in this month’s general election. “I have been on the ground, and yes it is a tight race,” Anwar, 75, told Bloomberg Television’s Haslinda Amin in an interview Monday. “But we can move further into ...

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Crowded Malaysian election field adds risk of no clear majority

Malaysia’s general election will witness more than 210 multi-cornered contests for parliamentary seats, raising the possibility that fresh alliances would be needed to form a new government. More than 940 candidates will vie for 222 seats in the Nov. 19 vote, with only nine one-to-one contests, according to data from the Election Commission. Several constituencies will see five-cornered fights, with ...

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Bolsonaro took Brazil up to the brink, then stepped back

When Brazil’s electoral court announced Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s election win on Sunday evening, the defeated President Jair Bolsonaro stayed home and said nothing. Ministers who tried to visit him found the gates to the official residence in Brasilia shut. At around 10 p.m. the lights were turned off. He didn’t concede the following day either, and amid the ...

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Singapore PM: Political succession to coincide with vote

Singapore’s planned political succession that would see Finance Minister Lawrence Wong become the country’s next leader will coincide with general elections due by 2025, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said. The political landscape is getting more competitive, and Lee told members of his People’s Action Party that it’s imperative for them to keep Singaporeans on their side to ensure a ...

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US condemns apparent failed ICBM test by North Korea

The US condemned what it said was the test-launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile by North Korea on Thursday, as Pyongyang continued a barrage of weapons tests to protest allied military drills. The US urged North Korea to halt further “destabilizing” tests and return to negotiations over its nuclear weapons program, State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement. ...

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Turkey drags out Sweden’s bid to join Nato

Turkey is unlikely to sign off on Sweden’s bid for Nato membership before the end of the year, and the chances of this happening even before elections due next year are slim, according to officials familiar with the issue. Sweden has not done enough to meet Turkish demands and the Turkish parliament’s agenda is full for the rest of the ...

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Bulgaria breaks with pro-Russia past, backs Ukraine military aid

Bulgarian lawmakers approved the first military aid shipments to Ukraine since Russia invaded its neighbor in February, ending months of resistance from Russia-friendly political parties and the nation’s president. The Balkan country, which has close cultural and economic ties with Russia, was one of only two Nato and European Union members to provide no weaponry to Ukraine so far in ...

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Pakistan’s Khan stable after shooting, blames government

Former Pakistan premier Imran Khan underwent surgery to remove bullet fragments after he was shot in the leg at a rally in eastern Punjab province. He is in stable condition. Khan blames Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and others in his administration for the attack, according Asad Umar, a senior leader of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party. Khan spoke to two senior ...

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